HoustonCuse
2020-21 Iggy Winner Lead Scorer & Post Season Rcd
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2011
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The board consensus is the last 5 years are not a complete disappointment because of JB's post-season "Cinderella" success. The premise is that we confuse opponents in the tournament because they've never seen the zone. Everyone uses that premise to explain our underwhelming ledger in ACC play where teams and coaches are FAMILIAR. So why is it so crazy to suggest that our defense would be less effective in a best-of-5 or best-of-7? Yeah there's some hyperbole in there to drive home the point.
There may be some tiny seed of truth in the "unfamiliarity with the zone" mantra, but it is largely just lazy BS. Was Virginia unfamiliar with the zone when we beat them in the tournament? Even if people get more familiar with it, what is the alternative? To play man to man, which every team has vast experience facing?
There is very little logic to all the zone takes you see parroted. The zone is a defense, it is intended to make it difficult for the opponent to score, just like man to man. It seems to be the only defense where if it doesn't shut out opposing teams, it is considered a failure or a gimmick. Why is that, I wonder? Spoiler: I don't actually wonder, I know it is because of weak minded biases against things that are different.